In Two Weeks

Montana & Wyoming in 2 Weeks

Start with the preceding 1-week itinerary, then from Bozeman, Montana, make your way northwest to Glacier Country and the Flathead Valley and many more of the natural wonders that give the Treasure State its nickname.

Days 1 to 7: Follow the itineraries outlined in Montana & Wyoming in 1 Week

Day 8: Butte, Helena & Great Falls, Montana

This is a big driving day, covering about 80 miles on I-90 west and another 150 miles on I-15 north. But it also puts you within a relatively short drive of Glacier National Park and gives you an opportunity to visit one or both of Great Falls' terrific museums: the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center and the C.M. Russell Museum Complex. We're also suckers for the Sip 'n Dip Lounge, the kitschiest watering hole in the West. En route from Bozeman, stop for a peek at the Berkeley Pit in Butte and lunch on Last Chance Gulch in Helena.

Days 9, 10 & 11: Glacier National Park

Visit another museum in Great Falls or head directly to Glacier National Park. Before ascending Logan Pass on Going-to-the-Sun Road, stop at Sunrift Gorge for a hike up toward Siyeh Pass, where there's a nice view of a hanging glacier. Camp or stay at one of the many nice hostelries in the park; eat in the park as well. The next day take your pick of activities: rafting out of West Glacier; hiking to Avalanche Lake or another trail; or sightseeing in Glacier's many nooks and crannies. Stay in the park again on night 10, or take your choice of one of the hostelries in the gateways of East Glacier, West Glacier, St. Mary, Essex, or Polebridge. Explore more of Glacier by car or foot on day 11 before leaving the park for Whitefish. In Whitefish, stay at The Garden Wall Inn and walk downtown for dinner.

Days 12 & 13: The Flathead Valley

Use Whitefish as a base for exploring the Flathead Valley. After breakfast, take a scenic cruise or fishing charter on Flathead Lake, then spend the remainder of the day in Bigfork, shopping, strolling, and having dinner at one of the terrific eateries. Perhaps take in a play at the Bigfork Summer Playhouse. Stay at one of the many lodgings in or around Bigfork for the evening. On the next day, drive south to Missoula for a peek at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Visitor Center and the University of Montana campus, before getting in one last hike in the Rattlesnake Wilderness Area just outside of town. In the evening, venture into downtown Missoula for dinner and drinks.

Day 14: Explore Montana's Gold West Country

You might end your trip in Missoula and spend the final day enjoying a slow start and a good breakfast. But if your schedule allows, take the day for a scenic drive through the Bitterroot Valley, south of town via U.S. 93, and over Lost Trail Pass. From there, you'll have an opportunity to visit one of Montana's historic mining towns: Virginia City, Nevada City, or Bannack. (The latter is a ghost town that's now a state park.) From any of these, you're in good position to get to Salt Lake City, if you arrived by air, and I-15, if you're driving home.